Body Found Near Where Tourist Went Missing

Tipsters lead detectives to body in remote area of North County on Monday morning.

San Diego Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Jan Caldwell said the body was found in the area where a search for a missing tourist was under way.

Reza Lavasani-Dana, 33, was last seen at about 1:30 p.m. on Thursday near Mountain Meadow Road and Meadow Glen Way north of Escondido. Investigators said Lavasani-Dana, an Iranian who was living in Sweden, was jogging with his friend when the two split up around 11 a.m. and the friend returned home.

Detectives investigated the area where the body was found near a home in the 28400 block of Mountain Meadow Road after receiving two tips, authorities said. Investigators said the body was found on down an incline on private property, under some brush. One of the tipsters reported seeing a man near the area on Thursday who appeared to be wearing clothes similar to Lavasani-Dana who seemed to be hobbling on an injured ankle but thought nothing of it at the time.

The body was not easily spotted. Randy Freer, who owns the property where the body was found, said he was "shocked" by its discovery. He said he and his wife actually looked in that area and did not see a thing. Freer also said he definitely would have heard screams for help.

Freer said it would "take a lot of work to get down there," so it remains a mystery how the body ended up in the ravine. A sergeant with the sheriff's department said investigators don't know how the person ended up at the bottom of a ravine.

Caldwell said she could not confirm the identity of the body, but officials did say that the body  Investigators said there were no signs of physical trauma on the body. The medical examiner arrived shortly after the body was found and will be releasing any other information regarding the cause of the person's death. 

Lavasani-Dana is in Escondido visiting a local family, according to the sheriff's department. He is not familiar with the Escondido area and has no known family here, deputies said. Authorities said he did not have money or a phone with him when he went running.
 

Contact Us